LOTD: Top 20 NFL Jersey Sales Suggest We Are Approaching the Apocalypse

Today’s link of the day comes from the good folks at Shutdown Corner, where the Mighty MJD has broken down the top 20 highest selling NFL jerseys from April 1 through August 28.  Though it won’t surprise anyone now, it certainly would have surprised a lot of people back on April 1st if you’d said that two of the four highest selling jerseys over the next five months would be Brett Favre in purple and Michael Vick for the Eagles.

Here is the list of Top 20 selling NFL jerseys, courtesy of Darren Rovell’s SportsBiz, via Shutdown Corner:

1. Brett Favre, Vikings
2. Jay Cutler, Bears
3. Troy Polamalu, Steelers
4. Michael Vick, Eagles
5. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
6. Tony Romo, Cowboys
7. Mark Sanchez, Jets
8. Tom Brady, Patriots
9. Adrian Peterson, Vikings
10. Eli Manning, Giants
11. Terrell Owens, Bills
12. Peyton Manning, Colts
13. Hines Ward, Steelers
14. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers
15. Jason Witten, Cowboys
16. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
17. Joe Flacco, Ravens
18. Matt Ryan, Falcons
19. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
20. Michael Crabtree, 49ers

The most startling fact is this, as explained by MJD: Vick has only been with the Eagles for 14 days, yet he is 4th in jersey sales over the past five months. Amazing.

And really, I suppose that we can’t be too surprised about Favre topping the list. Many of his old Green Bay fans will buy a jersey wherever he plays, and the entire Minnesota fan base is salivating at finally having a QB with some positive winning experience as a starter. Forget that he’s 40 and over the hill and probably won’t make it through the season healthy.

(In fact, he might not make it out of the preseason. Just caught on ESPN that Favre apparently thinks he may have another ready-made excuse if he stinks this year a cracked rib. Uh oh…)

Honestly though, consider the implications of the following statement four or five years ago: “In the year 2009, Brett Favre Vikings jerseys will be the highest selling jersey in the NFL.” It would have sounded totally non-sensical and the kind of thing that a Packers fan would describe as a certain sign of the dawning of the apocalypse.

And here is a contemporary sign of the impending end of the world: Michael Crabtree, who is a turd has yet to sign with the 49ers and is threatening to skip the entire season, is ranked #20 in jersey sales…out of all players in the NFL! 

At least his holdout appears to be hurting his sales though.  Darren Rovell mentions that Crabtree was 8th on the list a short time ago.  As MJD points out, for those 49ers who were excited that Crabtree fell to #10 and then gobbled up his jersey, it “could turn out to be the worst jersey investment of all-time.”

Or, like I said, just a precursor to the apocalypse. 

And now some other great links to carry you through the afternoon and evening.  See you all tomorrow morning.

Sports:

• NBA All Under-25 League — (Barkley’s Mouth)
• Jay Cutler: By the numbers — (Jay Cutler Superstar)
• 2009 NFC West Preview — (MoonDog)
• Broncos-Bears preseason game was like a playoff game — (Peter King’s MMQB)
• NFC North predictions from ESPN — (i94 Sports)
• Rich Rodriguez defends himself against allegations — (FanHouse)
• Great perspective on Tim Tebow — (Tim TeBlog by Dan Shanoff)
• Where’s the love for Miggy? — (MLive)
• College football pick ‘em — (Sparty and Friends)
• Denver fan debuts “Cuntler” #6 jersey — (Busted Coverage)

Non-Sports:

• 4 reasons winning the Mega Millions would suck — (Illuminati)
• Guide to being a man: How to slay a vampire — (Straight Pinkie)
• Macaulay Culkin is the father of Michael Jackson’s youngest kid? — (The Sun)
• 12 inventions that had to have been created by stoners — (Hail Mary Jane)